Shadow
by Pythoness
Summary: Years of abuse have corrupt a young boy into a shadow of himself, leaving him vulnerable and lonely. Can anything possibly save him?


Author's Notes: First off, I gotta say a big thanks to muh most awesome buddy for editing my story [you know who ya are]. This story has a lot of adult attributes, or at least it will in future chapters. It's mainly about a young boy searching for a friend. Yes, it contains several characters from my fav anime/manga, Magic Knight: Rayearth, but their appearences are very slim. This story is based off an RPG that I played with my close friends years back, and yes, during the year we played it, we created many characters to solve the romance triangles that popped up everywhere. I got to play the part of Murai, and in doing so, I created a background for him. I wasn't happy with just myself knowing this idea, so I decided to write it, in hopes that others could and would read it. It's unfinished [though it's all written in my head] and I admit that reviews that support me do help my creativity and will to continue. So if you'd like to see more, please let me know. =^.^=  
Disclaimers: Magic Knight: Rayearth belongs to a lot of famous important people [CLAMP, Mixx, AnimeWorks, etc.] and not to me. I'm making no money from this in any way, it's merely an outlet for my creativity. The other characters within this story that are not from MKR [Murai, Koki, Yoshi, Kaze, etc.] belong to me, and are not to be used without my consent. If you do want to use them [yay for you! =^.^=], please e-mail me and I will more than likely allow it.  
Warnings: This is a romantic story, and it will contain mush and all that good stuff. There will be no lemon scene in this story, so don't get your hopes up or anything. This story does contain adult themes, such as abuse, prostitution [if I get that detailed], and perhaps even yaoi [m/m relationships]. If any of this offends you, please do not read. I will not enjoy flames for anything I have stated here. I do love getting reviews and I enjoy your comments. They help me strengthen my writing skills. So please don't hesitate to reply! =^.^=  
  
...Hidden...  
  
As the raven night shrouded the country and the magnificent moon and her   
glorious stars battled the darkness, beams of light from hundreds of towering   
buildings sliced through the thick air, landing in disfigured squares upon   
the humanized ground. Sounds of cars and people bustling about in the crisp   
evening surrounded the world, removing all serenity. Children were indoors   
watching television after a day socializing at school. Parents were   
returning home, preparing dinner, and scolding their children for the various   
problems children create. The country of Autozam retained all normal aspects   
at the closing of another day.   
As the library tucked neatly in the center of a square of buildings   
pushed people out, a young boy walked down the sidewalk. Releasing a heavy   
sigh, he let his mind wander to the book he was reading only moments ago. A   
slight smile crossed his silent lips, something rare for him. Gentle wisps   
of long golden hair danced around behind him, tugging in all directions.   
Soft crystal blue eyes wandered along the ground, paying no mind to the   
litter and dirt upon the cement path.   
Reaching nearer to the old apartment building, the boy's steps became   
slower, almost hesitant. Pulling his jacket tighter around him, the boy bit   
his lip. He took a quick glance at the night sky, gauging how late it might   
have been.   
The boy reached the bottom of the concrete stairs just outside of the   
building. Taking a deep breath, he stood, one hand upon the stone rail,   
shaking slightly. Swallowing, he took a step up. Moving slowly he finally   
made it into the building, reaching his home far too soon for his liking.   
Taking the golden key from his pocket, he paused a moment, looking at the   
tarnish on the piece of twisted metal. Carefully sliding it into place, he   
unlocked the door, entering quietly, as though he were trespassing. Standing   
just inside the door, he paused, the blue glare from the television drowning   
the room in soft tones. A husky man lounged upon the black couch, bare feet   
propped upon an old coffee table. A large woman stood a few feet away in   
what appeared to be a kitchen, standing over a filthy stove. Smells of some   
concoction filled the air, causing the boy to make a face.   
Moving quietly and stealthily, the boy headed towards a door near the   
back. Glancing at the television, he noticed a commercial beginning. Panic   
took over him and he began moving faster, trying to remain quiet.   
"Murai?!" The deep, masculine voice bellowed out, causing the boy to   
freeze. Delicate blue eyes grew large, then shut suddenly.   
"Y-yes?" he answered back, his voice shaky and very soft.   
"You're home late." The comment was filled with emotion, not being a   
question, but expecting an answer.   
"Y-yeah, I was... just walking around."   
The husky man grunted as he lifted himself from the couch, a deep groove   
embedded where he sat. The boy, Murai, stood, trying to wipe the emotion   
from his trembling body. The man, assumed to be the boy's father, made his   
way to the boy. Dark eyes scanned the boy, checking his hands. "Well, I   
guess you weren't at that damned library. Good thing too. You don't need to   
be reading that crap." The boy nodded, knowing better than to shut his eyes.   
He stared, trembling, at the large man. "Well, you're mother's makin'   
dinner, so hurry up and get ready."   
The boy nodded, taking the opportunity to dash to his room, shutting his   
door quietly behind him. Leaning against the barrier, he emitted a sigh,   
soft tears escaping from his eyes. Quickly wiping his cheeks, he set his   
school bag next to his desk. Opening the bag, he removed his schoolwork,   
placing it out so he could work on it later. Heading to the one bathroom in   
the apartment, he quickly washed his face and hands, running a comb swiftly   
through his gentle hair.   
Finding his normal seat at the table, he began eating, watching as his   
mother and father sat on the couch to eat, as they always did. He asked once   
if he could eat in his room... but...   
The boy pushed that thought away, concentrating on chewing his food. It   
tasted horrible. His mother was a terrible cook, and they hardly ever   
ordered out. But at least the milk was alright. It could wash away the   
terrible taste of the food that Murai did not even know what was. It   
appeared green and chunky. Just thinking of it made the boy sick.   
Quickly finishing his dinner, or at least what he could stomach, he   
rinsed his plate, quickly doing the dishes as he always did on Wednesdays.   
After cleaning, he made his way to his room, working on his schoolwork.   
Hours later, after completing all that was assigned, the boy stood up.   
Walking to the door, he placed an ear against it, listening to the sounds of   
the television. Deciding that it was safe, he locked his door and made his   
way to his bed. Lifting the top mattress, the boy reached under, removing   
two library books from their hiding spot. Letting a slight smile play upon   
his quiet lips, he set the mattress back down and sat in the corner of his   
room. The soft light from his desk lamp spilled slightly in the corner,   
providing just enough light to read by.   
Letting his mind dive into the book, his life was pushed back. For a   
little while he forgot about the pain, the loneliness, the fear, and thought   
only of the book, the story, the hero, the love, the passion, everything that   
he could never have.   
Suddenly a sound at the door startled the boy. Large knocking sounds   
filled his ears, forcefully returning him to his life. Fear gripped him and   
he closed the book, placing it as far in the corner as he could, praying it   
was hidden. Opening the door, the husky man pushed past.   
"What are you doing in here Murai? You should be asleep." The man's   
eyes noticed the desk lamp, seeing the tilted position. "Why you need that   
pointing down there?" he asked, pointing to where Murai had sat a moment ago.   
The boy shook, trying to keep his voice from cracking with fear. "I-...   
I bumped it and it got tilted."   
The man snorted, pushing his way to the corner. Seeing the book he   
snatched it up. Glancing at the cover, he read the title, his tone very   
angry and critical. "The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer? What the hell is this   
crap?" The man's eyes lifted to the boy.   
Murai accidentally let a slight whimper be emitted. "It's just a book   
father. It's from the library!"   
Anger boiled in the man as he let his hands fall to his side. "Didn't I   
tell you I didn't want no son of mine reading stupid books?!" Although it   
was a question, Murai knew better than to answer. "Boy, if you ever go there   
again...!"   
The man never finished his sentence. He didn't have to. Murai let   
himself slide to the ground, tucking his legs to his chest. Clenching his   
eyes shut, he tried to push his tears back, though a few slipped through.   
Suddenly a hand struck the boy's cheek, tossing him to his side. The obvious   
sound of paper being ripped were heard. As Murai jumped up, his eyes flying   
open, the scene he saw was horrifying. The man whom he had called his father   
for 17 years, the man that had just struck him, the husky man was standing in   
the center of the boy's room, large, bear-like hands tearing pages from the   
book, a book that was not even Murai's, but belonged to the library. "No,   
father!" The pleas were barely audible underneath the yelling of his father.   
The boy fell to his knees, a river of tears pouring down his face.   
After a couple minutes had passed, the book was destroyed. Tossing the   
remains to the ground, the man grabbed Murai, lifting the boy's slight frame   
by the collar of his shirt. Murai whimpered as another hit was placed upon   
his cheek. "Stupid boy! Never ever again bring another book into this   
house! You hear me?!" The man shook the child above the floor to emphasize   
his point. Murai nodded, trying desperately to control his sobbing. "Good,   
now quit crying like a baby and get to bed!" Tossing the boy to the ground   
the man left, heading back out to the box emitting the gentle colors that   
flooded the other room.   
Murai sat there a moment, the pain in his cheeks and now on his back was   
numbing, throbbing. It painfully reminded him that he was still here, that   
he could not escape his life. Closing his door, he locked it yet again,   
although the lock was broken, and had been for some time now. As the blue   
eyes, now red with crying, moved around the room, they fell upon the book,   
torn and laying scattered across his tan carpet. Too tired to move, the boy   
let himself fall where he was kneeling, laying upon the stained floor, his   
eyes staring at the mess. What would he do now? In a week the book was due.   
It had to cost much more that what Murai had, and his father would never pay   
for it. The boy sighed shakily, trying not to sob again, letting his silent   
tears dampen the ground.   
After finally getting the energy to move, the boy turned off his light,   
leaving the book on the floor. Slipping into bed, he quickly fell asleep,   
his pillow soon growing damp with tears, just as it did every night, and   
would continue to do for a long time...   
  
*Murai stood in the room, the soft pink hues of the setting sun filling   
the large room with emotions he had never before felt. Gentle piano music   
filled the empty hall, the dancing harmony filling the boy to his very soul.   
The boy's eyes wandered, reaching a figure at the end of the hall. A   
flowing white gown covered a beautiful woman, her gentle light blond mane   
falling delicately back from her headband. Soft jewels adorned her and her   
gown, her gentle amethyst eyes dancing with love.   
The girl approached the boy, her hands covered with white satin gloves   
quickly taking his own. Murai watched, his mind racing, but he remained   
calm. Although he had never met this girl, he did not feel scared. Normally   
if he were this close to a female he would become nervous and worried,   
feeling very out of place. But here, with this goddess, he seemed correct,   
as though his life were finally right.   
Soft, luscious lips on the girl's delicate face curve into a perfect   
smile, her gentle eyes inviting. Murai could feel his own smile appearing.   
But he never smiled in front of anyone. It was always when he was alone   
reading.   
But he felt as though he wanted to smile. Murai felt happy here, as   
though this is where he needed to be...*   
  
A loud beeping noise abruptly ended the dream, forcing Murai back into   
his horrid life. As the boy opened his eyes, a slight groan was emitted.   
Dreams were his haven. He never wanted to leave them.   
Shutting off the alarm clock, the boy prepared for school. The only good   
thing about going to school was that in the morning his parents had already   
left for work, leaving the house empty. This was when Murai could move as he   
pleased, not having to worry about his parents being right around a corner   
somewhere.   
After eating a quick breakfast, the boy headed to his bus stop, not   
exactly ready for another Thursday, but then again, he never was ready for   
school and the problems that followed.   



End file.
